


as things change (they stay the same)

by AtLoLevad



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-16 03:15:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29943657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AtLoLevad/pseuds/AtLoLevad
Summary: Poe is feeling down about getting older, Rey cheers him up
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Rey
Comments: 6
Kudos: 34





	as things change (they stay the same)

Squinting at his reflection in the mirror, Poe frowns. Then he notices how the lines around his mouth deepen with the movement and quickly relaxes his face into a neutral expression. He rubs a hand over the scruff that’s grown in over the past few days - too lazy to shave every morning, there’s more than a shadow of hair covering his chin. It looks closer to a full beard and there’s definitely more grey hairs than black ones.

“Kriff,” he mutters to himself, studying the lines around his eyes and the threads of grey at his temples. “You’re old, Dameron.”

He grabs his razor from the cabinet and sighs, slowly starting to shave and shape his beard before it becomes unruly. He’s only made a few strokes when the door to the ‘fresher hisses open.

Rey leans against the doorframe and he catches her eyes in the mirror. “Give me like 10 and I’ll be ready to go,” he says, chin tilted in the air and fingers pulling his skin taut. Kriff, even his neck is getting wrinkles.

His wife says nothing, just twists her lips in thought and watches him neaten the edges of his beard.

“I know I’m a sight to behold,” Poe grins roguishly, pulling the razor away from his face and resting his wrists on the edge of the sink, “but are you going to say anything or just stare?”

“What if I like staring at you?” Rey teases, letting her eyes drag up and down his body. He feels her gaze linger on his ass.

“Not gonna stop you,” he replies, turning around and leaning his back against the sink. “But if you stare, I might get distracted and shave some weird lines into my beard. Then we’ll be delayed for the party while I fix it.”

“Good thing then,” Rey steps forward, eyes dancing with mirth, “that the party’s cancelled.”

“Cancelled?” Poe repeats.

“Mhm,” Rey confirms. “Iolo is sick, didn’t want to infect everyone. So we’re celebrating his retirement when he’s better.”

Poe’s eyebrows raise. “I don’t have to rush my shaving then,” he says, teasing. “After all, I’m an old man now, I’m slow.”

His tone flattens of its own accord and he winces at how miserable he sounds. Rey squints at him, really looking at him, and then she gasps in recognition.

“Is this why you’ve been as grumpy as a gundark lately?” she asks, crossing her arms and pressing her lips together against an amused smirk. “Because you turned —“

“I am not grumpy!” Poe cuts her off hotly before she can say his age out loud.

Rey snorts and Poe scowls at her. She steps forward, ignoring his crossed arms and rests her forearms on his shoulders. “Poe, are you grumpy about getting older?” she asks sweetly.

“No,” he mutters petulantly, his lower lip poking out in a pout. Rey giggles and presses a kiss to his lip.

“Because you’re not old,” she says.

Now it’s Poe’s turn to snort. “Easy for you to say, Miss I’m-Not-Even-Forty-Yet.”

Rey laughs, throwing her head back. “You’re so difficult,” she shakes her head, smiling affectionately. “Fifty isn’t even old!l

“Hey!” he yelps. “I thought we agreed you wouldn’t say my age out loud?”

“You decided that on your own, Dameron,” Rey counters. “I never agreed to something that stupid.” She beams at him in response to the cranky look on his face.

He drops his head to her shoulder and groans. “Have a little sympathy for an old man, would you?” he mumbles into her skin.

Rey kisses the side of his head. “You poor thing,” her voice is dry, sarcastic, and Poe frowns into her shoulder. “Other men should be lucky to look like you.” She rakes a hand through his hair - it’s getting a little long again and it’s curling around his ears. Her blunt nails scratch at his scalp and Poe finally uncrosses his arms to wrap them around her waist.

“It’s not like you’re being shuffled off to a retirement home to play sabaac all day,” Rey says bluntly.

“Maybe I’ll dye my hair,” Poe mumbles, still distracted by the greys.

Rey rolls her eyes and pinches his shoulder blade. Poe jumps and lifts his head from her shoulder, scowling. “What was that for?” he grumbles, reaching over his shoulder to try and rub at the sore spot.

“You sound like an idiot,” Rey informs him brusquely. “I love the grey, it makes you look handsome, and I’m never wrong.”

Poe’s lips lift in an involuntary smile. “Really?” he raises a skeptical eyebrow. “I don’t look old?”

“Of course you look older,” Rey softens her tone, “it’s been 18 years since I met you, Poe.”

“Kriff, eighteen whole years, huh?” he asks rhetorically and almost to himself. “Can’t believe it.”

Rey continues, cupping his cheek in her hand and scratching gently at his scruff, “You’ve got more wrinkles and more greys, but this face, oh, I love this face.” She presses a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth. “Do you know what I see when I look at you?”

“A greying old man, past his prime,” Poe answers with a wry twist of his lips.

“No,” she rolls her eyes, “I see a man who fought for the galaxy, who embraced a nobody from Jakku as one of his best friends and then loved her like nobody else ever did. I see all the smiles that the kids have caused and all the frowns. Every terrible joke you’ve ever made and then laughed at is there in the lines by your eyes.” Rey smooths her fingers through his hair, grey strands catching the light. “All these greys are just proof that you lived, Poe. Would it have been better for you to never age past thirty-two?”

“You’re too good to me,” Poe says quietly. Even after all these years, he still thinks she’s pure sunshine and happiness. He’ll always be a little awed by the power she wields, both with the Force and over his heart. He squeezes her hand and cups the back of her neck to draw her close for a kiss.

“We’re good to each other, General,” his wife winks. She tugs on his hand, “Now, the kids are at Rose and Finn’s, so why don’t you show me that age is just a number.”

Poe growls low in his throat and grabs Rey around the waist, kissing every inch of her face and neck he can reach. She laughs in his arms, squirming. They tumble out of the ‘fresher and into bed. Rey locks her legs around Poe’s hips, pulling his face down so she can kiss him deeply. He groans into her mouth, melting into her touch.

“Sunshine, my love, _mi corazón,_ ” Poe mutters terms of endearment into her skin, tugging at her tunic.

“I love you, Poe Dameron,” Rey vows, kissing him deeply. “Grey hair, wrinkles, and all.”

And when she looks at him like that, Poe feels thirty-two again - madly in love with the last Jedi.

**Author's Note:**

> this ended up being a perfect fic to post on oscar's birthday! i've had it written for .... a while lol. anyway, enjoy :)


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